Polyol-containing carriers and solvents are well known for use in deodorant and antiperspirant compositions. These carriers are most typically used to solubilize the antiperspirant active, or as coupling agents during the manufacturing process. These polyol carriers are typically aliphatic polyhydric alcohols which have from 2 to 12 carbon atoms, examples of which include ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, butylene glycol, 1,2-proplyene glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol (1,3-butane-diol), glycerine (1,2,3-trihydroxy propane), 2-methyl-2,4-pentane-diol (hexylene glycol), 2-ethyl-1,3-hexane-diol, 1,2,6-hexanetriol, and combinations thereof.
Polyol-containing carriers are especially useful in formulating a variety of consumer products containing solubilized antiperspirant active. In making such products, the polyol-containing carrier is typically in the form of an aqueous system which is used to initially solubilize the antiperspirant active. Once the antiperspirant active is solubilized, the water in the aqueous system is removed by any of a variety of known means. The anhydrous solution is then used to formulate an antiperspirant composition containing solubilized antiperspirant active.
Polyol-containing carriers are especially useful in formulating clear or translucent antiperspirant compositions. These compositions are typically anhydrous systems containing solubilized antiperspirant active, wherein the polyol carrier is used to help solubilize the active and in most cases provides the primary carrier material within which the solubilized active is miscible or dispersed within.
Many polyol-containing carriers, however, can cause skin irritation when topically applied to the underarms or other sensitive areas of the skin. This skin irritation is especially problematic when the applied composition is an anhydrous system containing higher concentrations of the polyol carrier. These higher polyol concentrations are often necessary in anhydrous antiperspirant compositions to successfully couple product gellants, structurants, thickening agents or other similar materials with other product carriers or solvents. This skin irritation, especially when caused by higher polyol concentrations, is especially problematic in a small percentage of the population that is unusually sensitive to topical polyol irritation. Although this type skin irritation can be minimized by adding lower irritation solvents such as mineral oil or volatile silicones, these low irritation solvents are not miscible with higher concentrations of most high-polarity polyol solvents.
It has now been found that polyol-containing carriers, and in particular isopropyl glycerol ether containing carriers, can be formulated which cause remarkably less skin irritation. It has been found that isopropyl glycerol ether is an excellent coupling agent that not only causes less skin irritation, but that can be used at lower concentrations which further results in reduced skin irritation.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a polyol-containing antiperspirant composition that is milder to the skin, and further to provide such a composition that also has good skin feel characteristics during and after topical application.